Bandits Bats Go Cold in 3-1 Loss

The Quad Cities River Bandits offensive explosion from Monday night did not carry over into Tuesday as the Kane County Cougars evened the series at one game apiece with a 3-1 win at Modern Woodmen Park. Four Kane County pitchers combined to limit the River Bandits to one unearned run on just two hits.
Kane County opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. With one out, Stephen Smith worked a walk off of River Bandits starter J.B. Bukauskas. Jasrado Chisholm followed by reaching a bunt single to put two on base. Luis Silverio then lined a base hit into right field which plated Smith and allowed Chisholm to advance to third. The next hitter, Yoel Yanqui, beat out a potential double play by hustling up the line. That hustle resulted in a fielder's choice with Chisholm scoring to make it 2-0.  

Quad Cities cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth inning, but missed out on an opportunity to do more. Jake Meyers worked a leadoff walk and then raced to third after Kane County pitcher Jeff Bain threw a potential double play ball into center field. With men on the corners and nobody out, lead off hitter Corey Julks stepped to the plate. Julks grounded a ball sharply to first baseman Yoel Yanqui who started a 3-6-3 double play. Meyers touched home on the play to bring the Bandits within 2-1.
The final run of the game came courtesy of the first home run of the year by a Cougars hitter. Chisholm opened up the top of the fifth by driving a ball over the wall in right field off of reliever Carlos Sanabria. That run was the first of the earned variety against a Bandits relief pitcher this season. Chisholm finished the night 3-5 at the plate.
Bukauskas made it through 3.2 innings in his Quad Cities debut. The right-hander scattered three hits and struck out six while issuing four walks. Sanabria allowed the one run in 1.1 innings and Parker Mushinski made his debut with the River Bandits by tossing 3.1 innings with five strikeouts.
Julks and Adrian Tovalin provided the lone hits for the River Bandits who were held without a hit after the third inning. The Bandits went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
The River Bandits (1-3) meet the Cougars (2-3) for game three of the series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Modern Woodmen Park. RHP Cesar Rosado (0-0, 0.00) will start for the River Bandits against Kane County RHP Jayson McKinley.
All River Bandits games are broadcast on 1170 K-BOB and TuneIn Radio. Home games are also available with video on MiLB.TV.